I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend and you and your families are all safe and healthy. Words can not describe how much we miss lacrosse right now, but it will be back before you know it!

A couple of people have reached out about refunds. Unfortunately, our website provider does not allow us to refund anything paid that has been over 90 days. We just received a bulk order of checks in the mail over the weekend. I will start issuing checks this week and will either drop them off individually in mailboxes, or wil send them out via mail.

Uniform update! Macwear has opened up their doors and they are ready for us to start picking up our uniforms and our "swag". Below is a suggested pick up schedule for all orders. If you have any problems with the dates, please reach out to Macwear directly, or ask a friend or teammate to grab your order, if possible.

RELAX Pick Up Schedule:

6/3, Wednesday 12-3: Boys Last Names A-L

3-6: Boys Last Names M-Z

6/4, Thursday 12-6: Families with both Boys and Girls playing in the program

6/5, Friday 12-3: Girls Last Names A -L

3-6: Girls Last Names M-Z

5/29, Saturday Anyone who couldn't make their assigned time due to work or a previously scheduled commitment

I have received a few emails regarding the summer and if we will be offering any camps or clinics. We are currently waiting to hear from the State of Connecitcut and the Region 9 school district on whether or not this will be possible. If we are able to run some sort of camp/clinic, we will follow the guidelines laid out by the state. I hope to have more information on this in the very near future.

Lacrosse will be back soon and we will be ready for it! I hope everyone is safe, healthy, and staying active. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions.

I know many of you have heard the news, but for those who have not, I regret to inform you that the 2020 CONNY (Connecticut/New York Youth Lacrosse) season has been cancelled. Although this is something we were expecting, it does not make it any easier to accept. Below our RELAX message is a note from CONNY.

To those 8th graders who were getting ready to participate in their last RELAX season, we are truly sorry that you will not get to experience those memories with your teammates and friends. We encourage any 8th graders who wishes to continue their lacrosse careers to join the boys and girls Joel Barlow lacrosse program next season (or whatever school you may be attending). Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the Joel Barlow athletics program.

Uniforms and apparel that were ordered through Macwear are in. Once it is safe to do so, we will schedule a pick up date(s) at Macwear and/or somewhere in town. We are working closely with Macwear to ensure everyone gets their orders, but at this point in time, is the least of our concern until it is safe to do so.

We will be issuing a refund for the majority of your 2020 registration fee(s). We will not be able to issue a 100% refund due to us having to purchase certain things such as in-door turf time, equipment, balls, medical-kits, coaches kits, field paint, website renewel, tournament fees, CONNY fees, and a few other things. That being said, we are hoping to be able to issue refunds in the next couple of weeks for those who have paid their registration fees. We are still trying to recoup some of our fees that we had paid already so please be patient with us as this is an unprecedented situation that everyone is dealing with. We will be sending out an update in regards to refunds as soon as possible.

I am so sorry to all of our athletes who are going to miss their 2020 lacrosse seasons. At this time, all we can do is to continue to follow the social distancing rules and hope that this passes soon. If you are able, I encourage you to continue to work on your stick skills in your back yard, go for a run (if it is safe to do so in your neighborhood), and watch lacrosse videos on youtube. There are many different ways that you, as athletes, can continue to get better and grow as lacrosse players!

As always, thank you all, for your continued support and patience. Stay positive and stay healthy. Lacrosse will be back soon!

Adam Lanehart

RELAX Director

All-

Thank you for your patience as we work through these unprecedented times with COVID-19.

Many of you have reached out with questions and situations in your individual towns, we appreciate the communications and hope to continue to hear from you.

At this time, we are cancelling the official CONNY season for 2020.

We would expect that programs continue to abide by the state, local and school restrictions on gatherings. Individual towns should make their own decisions for their programs and should message their members accordingly.

As many of you are aware, our Connecticut state order of all non-essential activities has been extended until May 20th, and likely will be extended further. Towns and many private facilities such as Yale have moved to close to all activities through that date or beyond.

We have had continued conversations with US Lacrosse about actions taken by the organization and other leagues such as ours. Please note that USL will send separate communication to its membership as well regarding their plans in the near future.

We did not make this decision lightly. Please know that CONNY is dedicated to protecting our programs, coaches and players – we expect that individuals would stay committed to their individual town programs.

Please make sure to join us next year so that we truly can Celebrate CONNY's 30th Anniversary with a return to the fields.

RELAXers,

To keep everyone sharp and ready to go for lacrosse season (keep the faith!!), here is great wall ball routine that can be done by anyone! Stay healthy, stay positive!

World Class Wall Ball Routine

This routine can be performed by either gender. The following stick drills should be used daily in the off-season and several times per week during the season. Once you master your stick (which takes a lot of dedication) the rest of your game will fall into place with much less frustration. Stick with it!

Boys; gloves are mandatory

Girls; gloves are optional (if you wear them during a game wear them during practice)

Any wall is fine, but a smooth surface at least 10 feet tall is optimum (concrete, block)

Drills should take no longer than 30 minutes maximum

Stand approx.12-15 feet from the wall

Do not let the ball hit the ground

Pass and catch in the area above your shoulder; to the right of left or your head

Strong hand toss/catch,

Strong hand quick stick 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

Strong hand 1 hand catch and cradle 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

Strong hand catch and face dodge 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

Split dodge/ throw right catch right/ split to left hand throw left and catch left 50 times

Quick stick while the ball is in the air switch hands on every toss 50 times

Cross-handed 50 times each hand. Throw right rotate hands left and visa versa

One hand passing/shooting 50 times each hand (start with hand close to the stick head…as you get better and stronger move your hand down the stick shaft)…experiment

Behind the back 50 times each hand

Develop you own routine: if space is big enough jog down the wall while passing. Jog while catching to the right then reverse. Behind the head catching. Bounce pass catching.

Pass and catch with the wall by having the ball being either passed or caught in an unconventional manner or less than perfect spot. Less than perfect passes happen in EVERY game…get ready. Be the best you can be…… regardless of conditions. ¼ cradle repeat 50 times; then 50 times weak hand